Tuesday 21st May, 2019

Accra, May 21, GNA - President Nana Addo
Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday gave assent to the Right to Information (RTI) Law
that was passed by Parliament last March.

The Presidential assent makes the RTI law a
statute under the constitution, which provisions would empower people, contain
corruption, and bringing transparency and accountability in the working of the
Government.

At a short ceremony at the Jubilee House on
Tuesday, the President was happy that the law had been passed, saying, "I
did make a commitment that when it was brought to me, I'll give my accent to it
right away."

"It was brought to me yesterday
afternoon and I thought I should sign it in the full view of the Ghanaian
people," adding “I am glad this long winding parliamentary process has
finally come to an end…and I am happy that we now have a Right to Information
Act.”

The President said the law when applied
properly," would provide a critical tool against corruption and enhance
the quality of governance in our country."

He congratulated the seventh Parliament for
its “courage, sense of responsibility and commitment to good governance in
passing this piece of legislation.”

First drafted in 1999, the Right to
Information Bill (RTI), after three reviews in 2003, 2005 and 2007, was finally
presented to Parliament in 2010. The bill had a chequered journey through the
legislative processes, with the document going through various stages of
considerations and amendments, culminating in the House passing the
controversial piece of legislation into law on March 26, 2019.

The Right to Information Act mandates that
timely response be given to any citizen who asks for it. It provides for the
operationalisation of the constitutional right to information held by public
and some private institutions, subject to exemptions that are necessary and
consistent with the protection of public interest in a democratic society.